Suspected of being a terrorist, young photographer is detained, again
Jules Mattsson, the young photographer who was stopped earlier this month, has been stopped and searched today under suspicion of being a terrorist after he took pictures of cadets
Author: Olivier Laurent
06 Jul 2010 Tags: Section 43Terrorism act 2000Street rights
BJP understands Mattsson was detained today under Section 43 of the Terrorism Act 2000 in Central London, near Buckingham Palace, after taking photos of cadets. Mattsson had received approval from the cadets' supervisors as he was shooting images for the cadets' website, BJP has been told.
BJP also understands that the photographer was searched and his details recorded.
The incident comes less than two weeks after the same photographer was stopped and detained by police officers claiming he represented a terrorism risk. Mattsson, at the time, recorded his conversations with police officers. For more details and to listen to the recording, read our full report here.
Mattsson is currently unavailable for comment. The Metropolitan Police was also unable to comment as it has yet to receive an account of the incident.
Section 43 of the Terrorism Act 2000 requires reasonable suspicion that a person is a terrorist. Its usage is more limited than Section 44, which doesn't require suspicion. However, the European Court of Human Rights recently found Section 44 to be illegal.
The act's Section 43 reads: "A constable may stop and search a person whom he reasonably suspects to be a terrorist to discover whether he has in his possession anything which may constitute evidence that he is a terrorist."
The stop was confirmed by photojournalist Marc Vallée, whom Mattsson called, according to a Twitter post. Vallée wrote: Just had a phone call from @julesmattsson He has just been stopped & searched under Section 43. Yes 43!"
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Comments
I've always loved the looseness of section 43:
""A constable may stop and search a person whom he reasonably suspects to be a terrorist to discover whether he has in his possession anything which may constitute evidence that he is a terrorist.""
Right, so in my pocket I have a pen and a piece of paper. Terrorists have also been found to have such paraphernalia as in most cases, a mobile phone (connected to Al-Qaeda MobileNet: always making sure your call goes through, inshallah!).
So under section 43, I reckon that most people would be found guilty to having articles that might make some copper feel they are naughty.
England, it's the land of freedom and smiles I tell you!
My feeling is as he was aware of his rights and stood up to the police, he will now be targeted and harassed by the police. Hopefully he can bring charges against the them and therefore will need all the publicity he can get and all of or support.
I can see his bank balance swelling by the minute.
If this keeps up they'll have to account for this in the annual budget.
UK cops again harassing photographers on the street under the excuse of 'terrorism' - totally pathetic Great Britain that it's come to this - another reason not to live there anymore... a total breach of civil liberties.
I was standing outside Kentish Town tube the other week with my Leica film camera in my hand, looking through checking the light meter but not taking any snaps. Two minutes later I have some bloke (read off duty or undercover cop - that obvious) asking me what I was taking pics of... I told him nothing and why did he wanna know, he just walked away, thankfully.
...and I'm pretty sure a 'terrorist' will not be using some fat DSLR very obviously if he were up to no good! I'd personally choose a far more discreet point n shoot with a mega zoom - just like the ones EVERY SINGLE TOURIST AND FAMILY OWNS!!!!
Better ban photography and cameras forever huh?!!!!
Has it ever occurred to the police that terrorists don't even need to go out with their cameras? All they have to do is look up streetview on google maps.
Oh dear oh dear oh dear. You go young buck. Policemen numpty from David Peace's 1974 and we think things have improved. In Manchester as usual we will not put up with this nonsense....... Details below.
http://manchesterphotography.blogspot.com/2010/07/open-city-preview-night.html
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